Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
Y <br />THE NORTH CAROLINA <br />STATE GRANGE <br />Farmland Preservation Fund <br />(Proposed) <br />When farmland is being taken out of agriculture for development a fee would <br />be paid by the developer into the Farmland Preservation Program contracted <br />with NCDA &CS. <br />Developers would add the fee to other development cost which would be passed <br />along to the buyers of the developed property. With up to 150,000 acres of <br />farm land being lost each year to development, a $100 per acre development fee <br />would generate up to $15,000,000 annually. <br />Exemptions could be allowed where non - agricultural growth is needed. . <br />These funds would provide dedicated, non -tax generated monies for farmland <br />preservation, to be used as follows: <br />Purchase future development rights from farmers to insure that their land stays <br />in agriculture. Farmers would be able to participate in helping preserve open <br />spaces by selling their development rights for adequate compensation. For <br />farmers, land is often their retirement fund and the Program could compensate <br />them for the difference in Development Value verses Agricultural Value. <br />Make low interest loans available to farmers who have sold their development <br />rights and have a need to borrow funds in the future for agricultural expansion. <br />Land that doesn't have development rights lowers the landowner's asset base. <br />Provide new farmers low interest loans for the purchase of land from persons <br />who have sold their development rights and wish to get out of farming. <br />Up to 50% of the funds developed in a county should be available in that county <br />to supplement that county's own farm land preservation efforts. <br />PO BOX 9965 s GREENSBORO, NC 27429 -9965 4 336/854 -9000 + 800/432 -4857 + FAX 336/292 -1923 <br />